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In the government meeting Sunday, may 21, approved the draft subsidy extended day groups in kindergartens and primary schools included in the economic program of Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon «Family net».

The project, developed by the Ministry of Finance together with the Center of local government, starting with the new academic year (2017-2018), the government would subsidize children in extended-day groups. The age of the children and the size of the subsidy depends on socio-economic status of the locality where the family lives in underprivileged settlements of the subsidy will be higher and the age gap is wider.

«The government strongly supports the program «the Family net,» commented Moshe Kahlon, the Minister’s decision. – In the coming months, parents will see an additional thousand shekels of their disposable income. True equality of opportunity stems from the possibility of employment, and subsidies extended day groups will facilitate the situation of working families.»

The leader of the party «Kulanu» also noted that we are talking about a comprehensive program for improving the situation in education, which it conducts jointly with the education Minister Naftali Bennett. This program includes measures to reduce the number of students in classes, and adding a second assistant teacher in kindergartens. «And that’s not all – promised Kahlon. – We will continue the efforts for the advancement of working families in Israel, the expansion of services and to reduce the cost of living in the country.»

Naftali Bennett, in turn, welcomed the decision of Moshe Kahlon to allocate additional funds to subsidize after-school care. «The Ministry of education is preparing for the execution of the program of state subsidies «after-school care» with the new school year, he said. – Affordable and quality education is a goal shared by all those working in the education system in Israel, and I am grateful to everyone who joins us in this important cause.»

So far for the stay of the child in a group day care («carone») parents pay 900 to 1,300 shekels a month, depending on locality. The program «Family net» provides lower prices for «early» so that the maximum value does not exceed 950 shekels per month and the subsidy depending on socio-economic status of a city or town.

In Israel there are 255 local councils, which are divided into 10 deciles according to socio-economic indicators. Decile 10 is the most secured, 1 is the poor. In line with this, the Ministry of Finance will be differentially allocate subsidies. Families living in the village 4 decile (Ofakim, Kiryat Malachi, ., acre, Lod, Ramle, Dimona, Kiryat gat, Herpes, Hazor and Glilit, bacca-JAT, Peki’in, Kfar Yassif) will receive a subsidy for «prodlenki» in the amount of 350 shekels a month for each child aged 3 to 8 years.

Families living in settlements with 8 to 10 decile (tel Aviv, Modiin, Maccabim-Reut, even-Yehuda, RA’anana, kokhav-Ain, Herzliya, Givatayim, Kfar Vradim, Ramat HaSharon, Lehavim, Kiryat Ono, Hod HaSharon, Givat Shmuel, Ganey-Tikva, Omer, Kefar Shmaryahu, Elkana, Savyon) will receive a subsidy in the amount of 150 shekels per month for group day care of the student in the first two classes («Aleph» and «Beth»).

It is noted that families living in the settlements from the first to the third socio-economic decile, are almost completely subsidized after-school care for children.

The subsidies for «aftercare» in the framework of the «Family net», family of settlements 4 decile will receive a Supplement of 3,500 shekels a year to the family budget net per child aged three to eight years. 5 decile the subsidy will amount to 3,000 shekels per child ages 3 to 8 years per year. In settlements 6 decile the subsidy will amount to 3,000 shekels a year per student for the first and second classes. Families from the settlements 7 decile will receive 2,000 shekels a year subsidies for «prodlenki» student’s first and second classes. Families from the rural areas with 8 of 10 socio-economic decile will receive 1,500 shekels subsidies for day-care centers for children in first and second grade.

This explains that the program is designed to help have received all of the family in accordance with their socio-economic status. So, families with income enabling them to live in settlements of from 6 to 10 socio-economic decile, receive benefits for children from birth to six years as part of the increasing number of preferential tax units («Nekudot sikui») under the program «Family net», so the subsidy «after-school care» for kindergarten they are not entitled.

The subsidy program extended-day groups will take effect with the new academic year in September 2017. Was previously approved addition of preferential tax units for parents of children under six years of age, the abolition of customs duties on import of mobile phones and batteries to them, as well as on imports of footwear. The purpose of the program «Family net» is to support working families and the middle class.

Knesset member Rachel Azaria («Kulan») welcomed the announcement of the government’s decision to adopt a program of Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to subsidize kindergartens and primary schools. «This is a huge achievement, which was achieved not through rallies and demonstrations, and through dialogue between the government and parents of young children, bearing in mind all the difficulties that accompany the integration of parents in the labour market,» said Azariah. «Israel is one of the first places among the OECD countries in the number of hours worked per week, – continued the Deputy. – If you add to that the fact that we have a very high proportion of working women and the average Israeli family many children, it becomes clear: subsidize after-school care is not a luxury but an absolute necessity for the country.»

The government approved subsidizing the after-school care in the framework of the «Family net» 21.05.2017